National Coming Out Day was October 11. And while New York City and LGBTQ issues are linked due to the historic Stonewall Riots and first Pride Parade, the LGBTQ community in the village of Pleasantville is less visible.
“Because Pleasantville has the Pace LGBTQ center and queer inclusive programming at the Jacob Burns Film Center, there are some specific queer opportunities accessible that may not be available in another area,” said Rachel Simon, Assistant Director of Multicultural Affairs & Diversity Programs at Pace University.
Simon, who identifies as queer, has worked in Pleasantville for six years and said she is satisfied in the progression she’s seen in the community.
“I’m very happy to see local schools having gay-straight alliance clubs and also, the entire state recognizing same-sex marriage has been permeant in our culture,” she said.
While coming out as gay today could be difficult, coming out in 1972 was the challenge for Pace University faculty member Dr. James Stenerson, as he came to terms with his sexual orientation.
“When I came out, there was very little acceptance and no equal rights,” Stenerson said. “The social life was underground… Many of my gay friends were disowned by their families.”
Stenerson has been working in Pleasantville since 1999 as both a professor and the Executive Director of the Faculty Center for Innovative Teaching and Professional Development at Pace University. He said being out in Pleasantville is safer than being out in other areas.
“When walking around with my husband, there have been some verbal heckles in all parts of the country, but I never had a problem [being out] in Pleasantville or the surrounding villages,” he said. “In fact, a few times vendors have had positive things to say about my LGBT wrist band or clothing that I am wearing.”
While Stenerson, who currently serves as a chairperson of the Westchester County LGBT Advisory Board, has not faced any anti-gay attacks in Pleasantville, he still believes the village has room for improvement.
“Outside of the Pleasantville campus, I do not know of any LGBTQ spaces in the village,” he said. “[Pleasantville] needs to have a well-advertised LGBT Appreciation day where government, police and businesses express their support for LGBT community and express a zero tolerance of hatred and bigotry.”
WORK! #NationalComingOutDay pic.twitter.com/dNT66Zyxqr
— RuPaul (@RuPaul) October 11, 2017